"The backbone of the middle order" - Fans react after Shreyas Iyer hits 78 runs off 64 balls in IND vs ENG 3rd ODI 2025

Shreyas Iyer starred with the bat again for India in the ongoing third ODI against England at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Wednesday, February 12. The right-hander scored 78 runs off 64 balls with the help of two sixes and eight boundaries.

The 30-year-old was looking good for a century but was dismissed against the run of play, caught behind by wicketkeeper Phil Salt down the leg side off Adil Rashid.

With his 78-run knock, Iyer proved his consistency with the bat, having scored 59 and 44 in the first and second ODIs, respectively. He stitched together a 104-run partnership with centurion Shubman Gill for the third wicket.

Iyer's fortunes changed soon after his half-century in the series opener. Notably, opener Yashasvi Jaiswal was the favorite to replace him in the XI but Virat Kohli’s injury (swollen knee) allowed him to retain his place in the XI and change his fortunes. He has not looked back since.

Fans on X lauded Iyer’s consistency with the bat against England ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. One user wrote:

"Shreyas Iyer, the backbone of the middle order. Team India shining bright."

Another user wrote:

"An expected display of batting from Shreyas Iyer in this series. Man has always been an ODI hacker. Great going for CT25 and IPL."

A third user added:

"Shreyas Iyer 78(65) was in sublime touch throughout the series; today he reminded us of the fact that dropping him would have been a big blunder by the management."

Here are a few more reactions:

For the unversed, Shreyas Iyer had smashed 530 runs in 11 matches, including two centuries, in the 2023 ODI World Cup. The Mumbai batter will be keen to play a pivotal role for India at the Champions Trophy. The Men in Blue will begin their campaign against Bangladesh in Dubai on Thursday, February 20.

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Shreyas Iyer and Shubman Gill’s knocks helped India stay on top against England in the 3rd ODI

A century from Shubman Gill and half-centuries from Shreyas Iyer and Virat Kohli ensured India stayed in pole position against England in the third ODI. Besides Iyer, Gill and Kohli chipped in with 112 (102) and 52 (55), respectively.

At the time of writing, the hosts were 307/6 after 43.5 overs, with KL Rahul and Washington Sundar at the crease.

The hosts are leading the series by a 2-0 margin and would aim to complete a whitewash heading into the ICC event. Meanwhile, Jos Buttler-led England would hope for a consolation win.

Follow the IND vs ENG 3rd ODI live score and updates here.